heartsick

adjective

heart·​sick ˈhärt-ˌsik How to pronounce heartsick (audio)
: very despondent : depressed
heartsickness noun

Examples of heartsick in a Sentence

They were absolutely heartsick over the loss of their home. I was heartsick to learn of their divorce.
Recent Examples on the Web But viewers, particularly younger female ones, relished their bond — and were heartsick when the stars ended their real-life romance in 2007 after two years. Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2024 The lead singer and songwriter Paul Westerberg was a punk-rock Jackson Browne, a pugilistic but ultimately heartsick poet with matinee-idol looks. Elizabeth Nelson, The New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2023 Of equal importance, these heartsick lyrics were swathed in an atmospheric soundscape unlike any music Dylan had made before. David Weininger, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Jan. 2023 The 49ers were heartsick about their young teammate’s injury. Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Sep. 2022 So, as Americans watched January 6, most of them were heartsick. CBS News, 24 July 2022 In his heartsick confusion, the song’s narrator is deflecting responsibility for what might happen next. Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022 Since the Russian invasion began in Ukraine, Anna Afanasieva has been heartsick with worry for her parents and sister who live in Odessa, in southern Ukraine. Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2022 The trio — Solo Tres — sings a heartsick Mexican ballad of love and loss. Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heartsick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartsick was circa 1529

Dictionary Entries Near heartsick

Cite this Entry

“Heartsick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartsick. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

heartsick

adjective
heart·​sick -ˌsik How to pronounce heartsick (audio)
: very sad and discouraged : depressed
heartsickness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on heartsick

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